When Wes Lynch dropped 59 points on Desert Mirage High School earlier this month, perhaps the most surprising part of it was that this was the first full season the senior guard has played varsity basketball.

Lynch wasn’t even a part of last year’s 28-4 squad that won three postseason games before falling to Burbank, 76-71, in the California Interscholastic Federation championship.

He played for the junior varsity team at Rancho Mirage High during his freshman and sophomore seasons, then played the first handful of varsity games for the Rattlers a year ago, before varsity football players returned to the basketball team.

Then, with the loaded roster of a 28-4 team, Rattlers head coach Rob Hanmer sent Lynch back to the junior varsity squad.

“It was really hard sending him back to junior varsity,” Hanmer said. “I hated to do it, but the JV needed a point guard, and Wes wouldn’t have played a ton on varsity.

“He went back, got better and was the junior varsity MVP. He’s better this year because of that.”

Aside from the 59-point game, Lynch has been a steady offensive force for the Rattlers this season. Entering last Friday’s game against Coachella Valley, Lynch was averaging 17 points per game with 35-percent shooting from beyond the 3-point arc.

Not necessarily superstar numbers, but also not quite indicative of how scorching he can get with his shot once he gets going.

Lynch was 21 for 36 from the field against Desert Mirage, including 16 of 28 from 3, and split a pair of free throws. He had 23 points in the first half, and was so confident with his shot he made a point of reaching 30 for the first time in his career.

“I just felt like I couldn’t miss,” Lynch said. “It was one of those games where it felt like everything was falling.”

Lynch grew up a Los Angeles Lakers fan, but said he patterns his game after two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry. His dad taught him to shoot. While he says he’s always trying to work on his overall game, like Curry it’s his shooting that always seems to stand out.

He said he shoots a few hundred shots every day, even on game days, and during the offseason or on summer vacation he manages to find a gym or a park every day to get his shots up.

“There are very few kids who will put the time and effort into their games,” Hanmer said. “It’s much easier for kids to be Kobe Bryant in a video game than in real life, but Wes is someone who has put the time in to getting better and it’s shown this year.”

Lynch moved into the varsity starting lineup this year, and has been able to play off the ball in more of a scoring role because of four-year varsity point guard Koby Alvarez. He’s been free to shoot the ball often, and when he gets hot his teammates find him.

Alvarez recorded 15 assists against Desert Mirage, in large part because he’d find Lynch in open spaces and Lynch would do the rest.

The hope from Hanmer is that teammates will continue finding Lynch in open spots and he’ll continue finding the bottom of the net.

He’s played less than 30 varsity games in his career, and it’s possible he may not be the most important player on a team seeking its first CIF title, but his ability to hit shots could be vital in clutch situations as the season progresses and the postseason approaches.

“We’ll need him,” Hanmer said. “Not to score 59 every game, but we’ll need him to keep playing well.”

Andrew John covers sports for The Desert Sun and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com. Find him on Twitter: @Andrew_L_John